80 B4 wings / arches on B3?

[lcsmith]

Hi Guys,

A bit of background;
I’m doing a 20vt conversion on my B3 80q and I’m using an RS2 crossmember and intercooler.
This means that the standard B3 bumper won’t fit without cutting it which is not a problem but it would be without the lower grille and it just doesn’t look as clean as I’d want.
I bought a late 80 cabriolet front bumper which is nearly the same as the RS2 bumper apart from it doesn’t have the headlight washers, this would allow plenty of room for the intercooler.

This is where the fun starts;
The B4 front bumpers have a flair where the bumper meets the arch and the arches are flaired out too, so it looks a bit strange against the B3 arch!
I could just get a pair of B4 front wings as I know they just bolt on (apart from the plastic bump strips which may be different?), but the front arches would then be flaired and the rear wings wouldn’t!!
I could cut the rear arches out and weld in B4 ones but would then have to change the rear bumper!!!
On the plus side though after all this I would be able to fit bigger wheels.....

Anyway has anyone done this before? Pictures would be great!

The other thing I wondered about was modifying the late 80 cab bumper somehow to lose the flair.....?

Let me know what you think?


Cheers
Leigh

[quattrostyle]

I see your point, but AFAIK these bumpers and S2 bumper have been used with B3 wings in the past. I think you can file a bit of the innerside of the bumper material where it meets the wing so you can tie it in and make it sit flush.

[GazzaG60]

i hace exactly the same problem.
want wider wheels, needs bumper to cover intercooler......

think im gonna see how it goes with a cut and shut bumper initially

i think b4 arches agains the rest of the flat b3 would look good too.

[Val]

Better start with rear arches, because it will look really ugly b4 80 front/b3 80 rear.

[lcsmith]

I see your point, but AFAIK these bumpers and S2 bumper have been used with B3 wings in the past. I think you can file a bit of the innerside of the bumper material where it meets the wing so you can tie it in and make it sit flush.

I thought that I would maybe rub down and flush the flair but was worried that I would rub right through as it may the plastic may be the same thickness all the way along and the back is flaired too....? If that makes sense?

i hace exactly the same problem.
want wider wheels, needs bumper to cover intercooler......

think im gonna see how it goes with a cut and shut bumper initially

I think b4 arches agains the rest of the flat b3 would look good too.

I had 16x9's all round with stretched tyres with B3 arches no bother, I'm going for 17x8's now to cover the brakes but don't want scrubbing when driving hard.

I think there was a yellow B3 that got B4 arches on motorgeek, by a guy called Jim maybe....? I'll see if I can find it at dinner time.

[lcsmith]

Better start with rear arches, because it will look really ugly b4 80 front/b3 80 rear.

That's the thing, I would say it's all or nothing though.....

[quattrostyle]

I would not mess with the galvanized body but it looks good with wider front and rear arches. You may get away with a sport edition bumper? It uses the Original B3 bumper inside but it can be cut out I believe to make more room for the IC.

[lcsmith]

I would not mess with the galvanized body......

That's the other thing the shell is good and solid, once you cut it you can't go back...

[lcsmith]

These aren't my pics but give you the idea;

B3



B4



B3 Front Arch


B4 Front Arch



B3 Rear Arch


B4 Rear Arch



B3 Rear Bumper


B4 Rear Bumper

[GazzaG60]

Agree its all or nothing
Probly best to mod a bumper to fit the b3 arch. I'll see when I cab test fit a wheel. Few weeks that.

[andy10v]

Another thing to consider is overall wheel diameter and arch size, B4 arches are a also for larger tyres than B3, eg 205/55/16 on an S2 or 205/60/15 on a B4 80, B3 is 205/50/15.

Darin's 80tq

http://www.theprojectpad.com/viewtop...t=80&start=900

B4 arches grafted on







If you are going to that effort then I would go for 100s4 arches for more wides

Jim Green's beast

http://www.motorgeek.com/viewtopic.p...118&start=1884

[lcsmith]

TBH I don't want to having looked at a tonne of pictures of 80's with wide arches, I prefer the standard look.

I'm thinking the modding the bumper is the key.

Out of interest what bumper is this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7s1NGxtSbQ

It looks American so probably not available in europe but just wondered?

Cars beast as well

[andy10v]

I fitted a coupe bumper to my 90 with stock arches. I modified the bumper brackets, and the bumper slightly to allow the bumper to slide back far enough to meet the arch.

When the bumper is pushed back far enough to meet the arch does is there enough space for the intercooler? If so I would just modify the bumper tips to match the arch.

You could ask what kulster did;

[lcsmith]

You've nailed it with that pic, I totally forgot about that car , and you're right Kulsters one is really well done, looks like it was meant to be!!

It's obviously doable though which is all I wanted to know, and that's it decided!

Cheers